Folding packages



June 11, 1968 w, GRAUFF 3,387,700

FOLDING PACKAGES Filed Sept. 2l, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet l Fig. *1

b 21 Inventor.' Wfgang Gaauff ZM ma iw@ am June 11, 196s w. GRAUFF 3,387,700

FOLDING PACKAGES Filed Sept. 2l, 1 966 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Figli- O'Zfgamy Graz/70p whiff@ MMM-m 2, lnvervor.'

United States Patent fce 3,387,70@ Patented June 11, 1968 3,387,700 FLDNG PACKAGES Wolfgang Graaff, 22 Erasmusweg, Bretten, Baden, Germany Filed Sept. 21, 1966, Ser. No. 581.1163 Claims priority, application Germany, Nov. 9, 1965,

59 Ciaims. (C1. 26d-45.34)

The present invention relates to a folding and erectable package for particulate goods, and more especially for goods requiring careful packing such as hard and soft fruit or the like.

One of the principal objects of the invention is to provide a package of this type which is capable of protecting delicate contents such as fruit against damage and therefore in the erected condition has a sufficient resistance to deformation, but in the collapsed condition is quite fiat and requires little space.

A further object of the invention is to provide a package of the type referred to which enables a possible purchaser of the package contents to make a careful appraisal of them without having the opportunity of fingering them.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a package which in the erected, filled condition can easily be stacked without there being any danger of stoving in.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a package which in its flat collapsed condition can be easily and quickly erected, filled, and then finally closed. Preferably the closure means or the locking means of the package in the erected condition should easily open or unlock so that after the package has been emptied, it can be folded up again into its flat condition ready for re-use.

Another object of the invention is to create a package whose contents are not sealed off hermetically from the outside air, but can be ventilated. This is important, for example, in the case of the packing of fresh soft fruit in order to prevent rapid deterioration.

A still further object of the invention is to create a package which is susceptable of being produced by machinery and thus can he produced cheaply by mass production methods.

In accordance with the invention, the package is so constructed that its contents are surrounded on four sides by a rigid or stiff packaging material, such as triple layer packing board of the type having a core layer of corrugated material, forming a stable, substantially `rectangular frame, while the two remaining sides of the package consist of a non-rigid, that is to say, fiexible packing material, such as plastic foil. The exible material is held taut between the four sides of the rectangular frame after the package has been erected and closed. It is lconvenient to arrange the side walls of iieXible material in such a manner that they do not coincide with edges of the frame but are set back from them, for instance, by about 1/2 inch. The purpose of this measure is to ensure that any bulging out of the fiexible sides of the package caused by the contents does not extend beyond the plane defined by the outer edges of the rigid frame, so that, as a result, the contents are well protected by the exible sides against blows or impacts coming from the outside. If transparent foil is used for making the side walls, the contents can be easily inspected from two sides for the purpose of judging their quality without it being necessary to open the package.

Two packages embodying the invention are now described with reference to the attached drawings.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a first package ernbodying the invention shown in the erected but empty condition.

FIG. 2 shows the package of FIG. 1 in the fiat, collapsed condition.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary view of the package shown in the preceding figures in the partially erected condition.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a further embodiment of the invention in the erected empty condition.

FIG. 5 shows the same package as in FIG. 4 in the flat condition.

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary view of the package of FIGS. 4 and 5 in the partially erected state.

In the figures, like reference numerals denote corresponding parts in the two embodiments of the invention.

From the figures it will be seen that packages in accordance with the invention consist substantially of two opposite horizontal bottom and top side members 11 and 12 formed of a rigid material such as triple layer cardboard with a corrugated core layer. The packages further comprise opposite side members 11a and 12a which in the erected condition of the package are vertical and are also made of rigid cardboard. There are also side members 13 and 14, also vertical in the erected condition of the package, and made of a iiexible material such as plastic foil or the like. The side member 11a is connected with the bottom side part 11 and can be folded or bent up along a line or edge 21 in the direction of the arrow (FIGS. 2 and 5). The line 21 constitutes a fold-facilitating means acting as a link or hinge and can be formed as a pressed-in groove in the board; or other known means well known to those in the art Can be used for facilitating folding. The side part 12a is connected in similar marmer with the top side part 12 and can be swung down or bent down along a corresponding line 21a in the direction of the arrow shown in FIGS. 2 and 5.

Referring now more particularly to the embodiment of the invention shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, it Will be seen that the side members 11a and 12a are each provided with two lateral aps 11b and 12b which are separated by cuts Ztl from the neighbouring lateral margins 16 and 17 of the bottom and top side members 11 and 12. These lateral flaps can be folded along `lines 19, in the form of pressed grooves or the like, in the directions indicated by the arrows in FIG. 2. The free ends or side edges of the lateral flaps 11b and 12b are provided with projections or tabs 15a which can be snapped into corresponding recesses in the side margins 16 and 17 of the bottom and top side parts 11 and 12 in the manner of detents or catches, when the package is erected.

The opposite side margins 16 of the bottom side member 11, and the corresponding oppositely placed side margins of the top side member 12 include edge portions which have been folded in through about so that the margins are quite rigid and do not possess any sharp edges and can thus be comfortably gripped in the hand for carrying or handling the packages. Also, these side margins 16 and 17 serve for .re-enforcing the eXible side members 13 and 14 (preferably of transparent foil) in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 t0 3. As can be seen from FIG. 3, the upper and lower longitudinal edge portions of the flexible side members 13 and 14 in the folded longitudinal margins 16 and 17 are held in place by two sandwiched-together layers of the material of the top and bottom side members, the layers being pressed together by wire staples 18. Alternatively, it would be possible to use adhesive, or, given suitable materials, welding, for achieving this connection between the tiexible and rigid side members. When the package is erected the side members 0f foil or other material first take up the vertical position at the inner limits 23 of the foldedin margins 16 and 17. The planes of the erected side members 13 and 14 are therefore setback in an inward direction by a distance equal to the breadth of the folded margins 16 and 17. The ends of the latter are provided with holes or recesses b into which the projections or tabs 15a of the lateral flaps 11b and 12b can fit so as to act as detents or catches, as is shown in FiG. 1.

Openings such as round holes 22 can be provided in the flexible side members 13 and 14 in order to ventilate the inside of the package. This is important for the keeping quality of many soft fruits to be packed.

FIGS. 4 to 6 show a simplified embodiment of the package in accordance with the invention. The bottom and top side members 11 and 12, as with the first embodiment, are hinged or pivoted to the vertical side members 11a and 12a. However, the vertical side members 11a and 12a do not in this embodiment have side aps. The free edges or ends of the side members 11a and 12a are therefore provided with projections or tabs 15e which can be snapped into corresponding slots 15d in the corresponding adjacent portions of the side members 11 and 12 so as to act as detents or catches. The flexible side members or foils 13 and 14 are firmly joined along the margins 16 and 17, as indicated by reference numeral 18a, of the horizontal side members 11 and 12, for example, by means of glue, welding, or stapling. Along the limiting inner lines 23 of the attachment zones indicated as 13a, the side members or foils 13 and 14 extend upwards and downwards vertically when the package is erected. As was the case with first embodiment of the invention shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the fiexible side mem-bers 13 and 14 are also set back somewhat from the outer edges of the side members 11 and 12 and also from the edges of the side members 11a and 12a.

The method of use of the packages in accordance with the invention will now be explained making reference more particularly to FIGS. l to 3. If collapsed or folded together, the package is quite fiat as can be seen from FIG. 2. The folded side members 13 and 14 in this position extend inwards. In order to erect the package for use, the rigid members 11 and 12 are first drawn apart, as is shown in FIG. 3. Then the lateral fiaps 11b and 12b or the side members 11a and 12a are folded about the fold lines or grooves 19 through 90 in an inward direction. Next one side member, for example the side member 12a, is folded about the fold-line or groove 21 in the direction of the arrow through 90 upwards and connected with side member 11 by bringing the projections 15a into the holes 15b in margins 16 of the side member 11 so as to act as catches or detents. The package can now be filled from the other, open side, for example, with hard or soft fruit, or with other materials. The side member 11a is then folded up or bent up about the line 21 through 90 and the tabs or projections 15a are snap-fitted into the slots 15b of the margins 17 of the top side member 12. The vertical extent of the flexible side members 13 and 14 is so made as to correspond with the lengths 16a and 17a (FIG. 2) of the side members 11a and 12a respectively. As a result the side members 13 and 14 are pulled taut when the package is erected, as shown in FIG. l.

The method of use of the package shown in FIGS. 4 to 6 is largely the same as with the rst package. However there is the difference that the connection or locking of the side members 11a and 12a with the top and bottom side members 11 and 12 is ensured by means of the tabs or projections 15C fitting into slots 15d.

Naturally my invention is not limited to the embodiments described above and shown in the drawings. On the contrary it includes variations within the spirit and scope of the inventive principle. In particular and for example, the locking or detent means for connecting the side members 11a and 12a with top and bottom side members 11 and 12 can be constructed in manners different to those shown. Also, the general shape of packages in accordance with the invention can depart from the shapes specically shown without for this reason ceasing to be embodiments of the invention. Furthermore, the two side members 11a and 12a can both be connected with the edges of one of the members 11 and 12 instead of as shown with one vertical side member connected with the upper side and one with the lower. In the case where both vertical side members are connected with either the bottom or the top member, they nre provided with detent means for connection with the other horizontal side member. Since such an arrangement would be readily understood by those in the art, it is not specifically illustrated and described.

I claim as my invention:

1. A folding erectable package for particulate goods such as hard and soft fruit, comprising; two oppositely placed rigid first side members; oppositely placed flexible side members, the flexible side members being fixed to adjacent side edges of the first rigid side members; and oppositcly placed second rigid side members, each second side member being connected at one margin with an adjacent side of one of the first side members so that each second side member can be pivoted about its connected margin and after pivoting through its opposite free margin can be applied to a corresponding margin of that first side member which is opposite the first side member to which the folded side member is connected.

2. A folding package according to claim 1 in which one first side member is connected, in a manner as to allow pivoting, with one second side member and the other first side member is connected in a similar manner with the remaining second side member.

3. A folding package as claimed in claim 1 in which both second side members are connected to one of the first side members in such a manner that they can pivot.

4. A folding package according to claim 1 further comprising detent means for holding the free edges of the second side members against first side member edges.

5. A folding package according to claim 1 in which the second side members are provided with folding lateral fiaps separated from the first side members by cuts and being capable of folding about fold-facilitating means.

6. A folding package according to claim 1 in which the second side members are provided with folding lateral liaps separated from the first side members by cuts and being capable of folding about fold-facilitating means, the free ends of the lateral fiaps being provided with projections arranged to extend into holes in margins of at least one of the first side members.

7. A folding package according to claim 1 comprising projections on free edges of the second side members, corresponding edges of the first side members being provided with corresponding slots for receiving the projections.

8. A folding package according to claim 1 in which in the erected condition of the package, the marginal portions of the first side members project outwards beyond the planes of the flexible side members.

9. A folding package according to claim 1 in which the projecting marginal portions of the first side members comprise inwardly folded portions sandwiching marginal attachment portions of the fiexible side members and thus securing them to the first side members.

10. A folding package according to claim 1 in which the marginal portions of the first side members and the corresponding marginal portions of the fiexible side members are connected together in such a manner that the marginal portions connected together project outwards beyond the liexible side portions.

11. A folding package according to claim 1 in which the first and second side members are made of multilayer cardboard `with a corrugated core.

12. A folding package according to claim 1 in which the fiexible side members are made of plastic foil.

5 6 13. A folding package according to claim 1 in which 2,177,918 10/ 1939 Vogt et al. the flexible sides I:ne made of transparent plastic film. 2,192,722 `3/1940 Vogt 229-14 14. A folding package according to claim 1 in which 2,200,318 5 /1940 Bergstein 229 14 the dimensions of the exible side members and of the 2,283,046 5 /1942 (Houston 229 23 rigid second side members bear such a relationship to 5 each other that in the erected condition of the package 3074614 1/1963 dseth et al' h .bl .d b h 1d 3,108,686 10/1963 Rosenthal 20G- 45.34 t e 6X1 e S1. e mem ers are taut- 3,206,094 9/1965 Humphrey et a1 229-14 le. A folding package according to claim 1 having vcn- 3 302 849 2/1967 Elias 229 23 tilation apertures.

References Cited 10 FOREIGN PATENTS UNITED STATES PATENTS 713,409 7/ 1965 Canada. 1,770,819 7/1930 Tamke et a1. 229-23 2,130,019 9/1933 Meier 206 45 34 DAVIS T- MOORHEAD, Primary Examiner- 

1. A FOLDING ERECTABLE PACKAGE FOR PARTICULATE GOODS SUCH AS HARD AND SOFT FRUIT, COMPRISING; TWO OPPOSITELY PLACED RIGID FIRST SIDE MEMBERS; OPPOSITELY PLACED FLEXIBLE SIDE MEMBERS, THE FLEXIBLE SIDE MEMBERS BEING FIXED TO ADJACENT SIDE EDGES OF THE FIRST RIGID SIDE MEMBERS; AND OPPOSITELY PLACED SECOND RIGID SIDE MEMBERS, EACH SECOND SIDE MEMBER BEING CONNECTED AT ONE MARGIN WITH AN ADJACENT SIDE OF ONE OF THE FIRST SIDE MEMBERS SO THAT EACH SECOND SIDE MEMBER CAN BE PIVOTED ABOUT ITS CONNECTED MARGIN AND AFTER PIVOTING THROUGH 90* ITS OPPOSITE FREE MARGIN CAN BE APPLIED TO A CORRESPONDING MARGIN OF THAT FIRST SIDE MEMBER WHICH IS OPPOSITE THE FIRST SIDE MEMBER TO WHICH THE FOLDED SIDE MEMBER IS CONNECTED. 